ecojunkie wrote:I did say 'in general' the buffalo did not get sick......but then that is what this study is about! Any animal under stress will sicken from any infection etc. But the buffalo do act as carriers more than the other animals.

Just my little knowledge gained from a current researcer and vet in KNP on the lions and the effect of BTB on them. Spent a few nights with him on a certain trail where we talked into the ungodly hours of the night.

The first thing he said was that the BTB situation in KNP is more serious than we think. He mentioned that almost 98% of the lion population in the park was infected with the disease, but that there is also signs of the lions gaining resistance that keeps them alive a few years longer.

Like EJ said, some baffalo do get sick. The signs areds just not as visible as it wouldve been incase of lion. ANd they are vectors to the disease. But some to get sick.

The thing why people would paid 20mil for that baffalo is a combination of a few things. First there was the disease free factor, but that wasnt the main factor. GENETICS was. IF you go back and trace the parents and their parents of this baffalo that was sold the genetics and by that I mean horn size, width, thickness ect, body build and those factors combined to make it a specimen few will be able to have. And these baffalo and I know for a fact, this one sold for 20mil will be put to cows, their young sold for millions to more people who will continue to do this and somewhere in the line a few will be sold to hunting people, where hunters from across the ocean will come to pay a few hundred thousand $$$. Ive heard from a friend of mine that he had a visitor from Ukraine that a baffalo were hunted 2 weeks ago for $400 000, and that was for a medium sized bull!! And then peopel would pay for disease free buffalo to prevent it from spreading to their farms which is free of the disease. Financialy I would also do it. I cant risk to loose a lot of my animals which got infected by the disease when I was ignorant to pay more for a disease free buffalo and in the end I will have to pay more to get those buffalo out and get new buffalo in as well as replenish the other animals that died....

Ratpack Member.

The currents that shape our lives, flow from the attitudes we nurture everyday!

Just a question that occurred to me: During the current drought, buffalo, like other animals are apparently losing condition; I don't know to what extent, but I just wondered if this means that there will be an upsurge in cases of BTB amongst not only buffalo, but also the lions that will be feeding on the rich pickings of the drought. And are other carnivores at risk?